The Canadian government is hopeful that the existing backlog for the Live-in Caregiver program will be eliminated by the end of next year.
The Live-in Caregiver Program was a scheme that offered a direct path from temporary status to permanent residence for caregivers. It closed to new applicants in 2014 but grandfathering provisions meant that thousands of caregivers who were already part of the temporary portion of the program but who hadn’t yet applied for permanent residence would still have the opportunity to do so. This means that up to 6,000 more applications for permanent residence under the LCP could still be submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Great progress has already been made on the backlog in recent years. As of 1st October 2017, there was a 63 per cent reduction in the number of caregivers and their family members waiting for their permanent residence applications to be finalised since reaching its highest level in May 2014.
In October, IRCC dedicated additional resources to process Live-in Caregiver applications and encourage caregivers and their family members to submit any documents that were missing from their applications. With this focus, IRCC is on track to finalize 5,000 more cases than originally planned by the end of 2017. This surge will allow IRCC to welcome 20,000 new permanent residents in the caregiver category in total this year, reaching the high end of the target range as set out in the 2017 levels plan.
“The commitments the Government has made will mean that many Live-in Caregiver Program applicants who have faced long delays and family separation may soon reach their goal of permanent residence,†said Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Immigration Minister. “After diligently providing care for Canadians, they may soon be in the company of their own loved ones, together in Canada.â€
Article published 5th December 2017